22 ref.

This drainage basin and others in the Sierra Madre is under substantial pressure and stress as a result of assorted land use abuses. Less than 20 of the watershed contributes to substatial runoff and much of that is the result of a strongly confined seasonal flow. The precipitation fradient for the river's entire watershed is only 20 mm/100 m, but the mean average precipitation increases to over 50 mm/100 m in upper-gaining section. The climatic-hydrologic fragility of the watershed coupled with thin soils, steep slopes, rapid runoff, and reckless and environmentally abusive land use practices are resulting in the loss of this truly vital watershed. Erosion is already a major problem and stripping the mountains of the remaining forest will fill the already heavily silted reservoirs. If not properly managed, this naturally renewable resource will be lost or seriously impacted at the cost of very short-term economic grains